Entertainment Turned Tragedy Completes 20

Today marks the 20-year-mark of the extremely unfortunate incident, which has come to be known as the Uphaar cinema tragedy.On June 13, 1997, a fire erupted in the cinema that killed 59 people and injuring many others. This fire has been saved in Indian history as one of the worst incidents of its kind.“Border” was playing at the cinema hall near New Delhi’s Green Park. The fire broke out at 4:55 pm following a short-circuit in the transformer on the ground floor. Toxic gases spread, choking people inside. Of the people who died in the fire, 23 were children. Also, more than 100 people were injured. An intense legal battle followed by victims’ families for compensation.The insides of the five-floor cinema hall have not moved with time. It has not been touched by human hands since the fire.

Investigation of the fire revealed that there was deep corruption and violation of fire-code norms including the lack of a public announcement system, sufficient number of exits and ill-mainted transformers.

Owners, Sushil and Gopal Ansal were accused of filing more people in the hall than it could accommodate.